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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Black-bellied Plover

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Name

Black-bellied Plover

Scientific Name

(Pluvialis squatarola)

Why they are special:
  • One of Florida’s largest and most striking plovers, especially in breeding plumage with a black belly and face.

  • Commonly seen during migration and winter along open sandy beaches and tidal flats.
Size and color:
  • Large plover, 10–12 inches long with a wingspan of 26–28 inches.

  • Breeding adults: black face, throat, and belly with white on back and wings.

  • Non-breeding adults: mottled gray and white upperparts, pale underparts.

  • Short black bill, orange legs.

Seasonality in Florida:
  • Winter visitor and during spring/fall migration.

Habitat:
  • Sandy beaches, mudflats, estuaries, and open coastal flats.

  • Often seen in small groups foraging at the water’s edge.

Diet:
  • Feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and insects, picked from sand or mud.

Behavior:
  • Walks or runs along beaches, stopping frequently to probe sand.

  • Flocks often mix with other shorebirds, like sandpipers and plovers.

Conservation notes:
  • Populations are generally stable, but wintering and stopover habitats are sensitive to human disturbance.

Best time to see:
  • Winter and migration, especially on Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic beaches.

Fun Fact:
  • Black-bellied Plovers are highly wary, often flushing long before people approach, making binoculars essential for observation.
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